Pile-cutting machine.



A. MORTON.

PILE CUTTING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11211.15, 1907.

1,016,512. Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

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A. MORTON.

PILE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1907.

a SHEETS-SHEET COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

A.'MORTON.

. PILB CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1907' 1,016,512 Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

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A. MORTON. FILE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1907. 1,016,512.

8 SHE ETSSHEET 4.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

A. MORTON. FILE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1907. I 1,016,512, Patented Feb. 6,1912.

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A. MORTON.

PILE GUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.15, 1907.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

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A. MORTON.

FILE GUTTINGMAGHINB.

APPLIOATION PILB APR. 15, .1907.

1,01 6,51 2. V Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

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.w e BY M \tOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR MORTON, 0F WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO CROMP'ION COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

FILE-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR MoR'roN,-of IVarwick, in the county of Kent and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pile-Cutting Machines, (Case A;) and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The invention relates to a machine for cutting the race or pile of pile fabrics, such as velvets, corduroys, etc. Machines have heretofore been constructed in which the fabric in the form of an endless web has been traveled past one or more cutting knives, but such machines have been practically adapted only for the cutting of corduroys, and were not, so far as I am aware, practically adapted for cutting velvets.

While both velvets and corduroys are woven with what are known as races, which require to be cut in finishing the fabric, velvets and corduroys differ from each other in several material respects, by reason of which differences it is a matter of much greater difficulty to cut the races of velvets by machine than is the case with corduroys. In the first place in corduroy the races are comparatively large, while in velvets the races are very small, and in fact are in many cases so small as not to bereadily seen by the inexperienced eye. In the next place the weave of a velvet is materially different from the weave of a corduroy, one result of this difference in weave being that the races in corduroy are well defined, the threads of each race *being all anchored in the same line, whereas in the velvet weave, the threads of adjacent races overlap, and so that the threads of one race are anchored within the area of adjacent races, with the result that the races are not clearly defined.

By reason of the smallness of the races in velvet and of the character of said races due to the peculiarity of weave referred to, the cutting of velvet is a much more difficult and delicate operation than the cutting of corduroy, and much greater care is required both to insert the knife in the proper race and also to keep the knife in the race after it has been inserted. By reason of these facts it has been found that machines,

which were adapted for cutting corduroy, and which haveproven practically successful in such work, were wholly unadapted for cutting velvets and could not be practically employed for that purpose, with the result that heretofore, so far as I am aware, the cutting of velvets has been practically all done by hand, with the fabric stretched upon stationary supports, and with a handknife moved along the fabric by the operator traveling from one end of the stretched fabric to the other. The expense of this hand cutting is necessarily very great.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine which is adapted for the cutting of velvets, and which may be employed for that purpose in place of the tedious and expensive hand cutting heretofore necessary.

One feature of the invention consists in providing means for traveling the'fabric past the cutting knife and for maintaining a proper and suitable tension on the fabric at the point where it is being cut, the main tenance of such a proper tension being very important for the successful cutting of velvets by machine,

The machine herein described is provided with a support and guides for the knife. The knife, however, is always under the direct control of the operator, and it is therefore not necessary to provide a stopmotion for automatically stopping the machine, if the knife happens from any cause to slip out of the race. The knife, however, is so constructed that, if the point of the knife should project through the back of the fabric, the knife will be tripped and turned over, thereby limiting the extent of the damage done to the fabric.

If the knife slips out of the race, or projects through the back of the fabric, so that the knife requires to be reentered in the race being cut, the fabric will, before the operator can stop the machine, have traveled a greater or less distance, and so as to carry the point where the cutting of the race ceased beyond the point of the knife. A further feature of the invention therefore consists in providing means for feeding or traveling the fabric backward the distance necessary to bring the partially cut race to a position where the knife can be properly reentered therein, and thereby save the necessity, of traveling the entire web of chine in the form of an endless web formed by uniting the two ends of the fabric, which results in the formation of a seam or bunch at the point of union, through which the knife cannot pass, it is desirable that the machine shall be stopped. before'such seam or bunch reaches the knife. A; further featureof the invention consists-in providing means for automatically stopping the machine, and thus stopping the feed of the fabric, when the seam. or bunch referred to approaches the knife- When the machine is to be thus automatically stopped, it is desirable that it shall be stopped promptly and quickly, and for this purpose means are provided for not only disconnecting the power,=but for also applying a brake to some rotary part of the fabric feeding mechanism. The fabric feeding mechanism embodies two rolls located at some distance. apart between which rolls the cutting of the race takes place, and be tween which rolls, therefore, it is necessary that the proper tension shall be maintained. The forward one ofthese two rolls is a feed-roll which serves to draw the fabric forward, while the rear roll is a drag-roll 7 adapted to put a certain amount of drag upon the. fabric tending to resist the forward pull thereof, and by means of which drag-roll the necessary tension is put on the fabric. at the cutting point.

YVhen the machine is quickly stopped, as it is. by the brake referred. to, it frequently happens that the forward or feed roll will run forward a certain distance under its .momentum, and will then rebound, 'which has the efiect to produce a certain amount of slack between the two rolls, which slack requires-to be taken up and the fabric again put under tension, to enable the knife to be entered in the race and the cutting proceeded with. A further feature of the invention consists in providing means for taking up the slack in the fabric, whenever the same occurs, and for restoring the proper tension to the fabric at the cutting point.

The stop-motion employed in the machine 7 I shown in the drawings is an electric stopmotion. It is necessary, when such stopmotion has operated, that the operating parts thereof shall be reset in their normal position. A further feature of the inven- 7 parts hereinafter described and claimed.

"Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan viewof the-machine. Fig. Qis a Fig. 11.

side elevation of the right hand side of the machine looking from the front. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the machine with certain of the parts omitted and showing the travel of the fabric through the machine. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the front portion of the machine looking from the left hand side on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a plan view of Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are end elevations of the left hand end of Fig. 6 showing the parts in different positions. Fig. 10 is a view of a portion of Fig.6 showing the parts in different positions. Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 1 1 are detail views on an enlarged scale of the friction device for putting tension on the fabric, etc, Fig. 12 being a section on line wm,' Fig. 13 being a section on the line y--y,' and Fig. 14: being a section on the line a-z, Fig. 15 is a side elevation, and Fig. 16 a plan view of the knife and knifeholder. Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the opposite side of the knife and a portion of the knife-holder. Figs. 18 to 27 inclusive are detail views of certain parts.

The machine comprises a suitable frame 1 in which the several operating parts are mounted. The fabric travels through the machine in the form of an endless web. The knife 2 is located at the front of the machine, and the fabric 3, after the race has been cut, is carried down on to a traveling endless apron or lattice 4 at or near the bottom of the machine where it drops in folds, and in this form is carried by the traveling apron to the rear of the machine. From the apron at the rear of the machine the fabric is carried up over a feed-roll 5 and down an incline 6. At the foot of this incline the fabric turns upward and is carried over two fixed bars 7, 7, at the top of the frame. Preferably the fabric is left more or less loose at the point where its direction is changed from. the foot of the incline to the vertical. From the stationary bars 7, 7, the fabric travels down another incline 8 around an idler roll 9, up over a driven roll 10, preferably rubber-covered, down around another idler roll 11, then forward around a tension-roll 12, and around the drag-roll 13, then under the knife 2, and around the feed-roll 14 and the tension-roll 15, thence downward between a pair of supmade adjustable toward and from the knife, as shown in Fig. 4.

The necessary tension on the fabric at the cutting point is produced by means of the rolls 13 and 14. The feed-roll 14 is positively driven, while the drag-roll 13 is provided with a friction-device to be hereinafter descrlbed, whereby a friction or drag may be put on said roll.

The main driving-shaft 19 is provided with a pulley 20 driven by a belt 21 from an overheadcounter-shaft. On the opposite end of the driving-shaft 19 is a pulley 22 from which a belt 23 extends to a pulley 24 on the left hand end of the positively driven feed-roll 14. On the driving-shaft 19, ad jacent to the main driving-pulley 20, is a pulley 25, from which a cross belt 26 extends to a loose pulley 27 on the drag-roll 13. The pulley 27 is a two-step cone-pulley and from the smaller step of said pulley a belt 28 extends to a pulley 29 on the right hand end of the feed-roll 14. The pulley 27 on the drag-roll 13 is somewhat larger than the pulley 29 on the feed-roll 14, and so that said pulley 27 rotates at a slower speed than the pulley 29.

On the left hand end of the drag-roll 13 are two pulleys 30 and 31 as shown in Fig. 1. From the pulley 30 a belt 32 extends around a pulley 33 on the left hand end of the supplemental feed-roll 16. From the pulley 31 a belt 34 extends to a pulley 35 on the left hand end of the roll 10. On the right hand end of said roll 10 are two pulleys 36 and 37. From the pulley 36 a belt 38 extends to a pulley 39 on the right hand end of the feed-roll 5. From the pulley 37 a belt 40 extends to a pulley 41 on a stud 42, on which stud is a second pulley 43 from which a cross belt 44 extends to a pulley 45 on a shaft 46 at the rear end of the machine. Said shaft 46 is the feed-shaft for the endless traveling apron 4. The pulley 22 on the driving-shaft 19 is loose on said shaft, but is adapted to be connected with said shaft by a suitable clutch-mechanism, preferably a friction'clutch, as shown in the drawings. This clutch may be of any desired construction and as it forms no part of the present invention, the detailed construction of the clutch shown need not be described.

It will be understood that when the pulley 22 is connected with the driving-shaft 19, the fabric will be fed through the machine and when the pulley 22 is disconnected from the shaft 19, the feed of the fabric will be stopped.

The clutch-mechanism as a whole is designated as 47 in the drawings, and said clutchmechanism is adapted to be operated by the lever 48.

In machines of this character it is desirable that when the driving power is disstop the feed of the fabric. For this purpose 7 a brake-mechanism is applied to some part of the feed-mechanism to quickly stop the feed of the fabric whenever the driving power is disconnected.

In the arrangement shown the brake is applied to the drag-roll 13, or rather to the pulley 30 on said roll. This brake may be of any suitable construction, and in the drawings is shown as comprising a pivoted brakeshoe 49, which is designed to be forced into contact with the inner surface of the flange of the pulley 30 by means of a coiled spring 50. The brakeshoe 49 has a pivot-pin rigidly secured thereto, which pivot-pin is mounted to turn in a socket 49 carried by a bracket secured to the frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. 7 The brake-shoe 49 is normally, or while the machine is in opera tion, latched out of contactwith the pulleyflange. Connected to the free end of the brake-shoe is a vertical bar 51 which extends downward and is supported and guided by a bracket 52 extending from the frame of the machine. Adjust-ably secured to one side of this bar 51 is a notched block 53 adapted to engage or be engaged by the forward end of a movable bar 54. One end of the spring 50 is connected to saidbar 51, the other end of said spring being connected to a bracket 55 on the frame. When the machine is running the bar 51 is latched and held in its upper position, and so as to hold the brake-shoe 49 out of contact with the flange of the pulley 30 by the end of the movable bar 54 engaging the notched block 53. When, however, said movable bar 54 is moved rearward by any suitable means, the bar 51 is thereby unlatched and is pulled downward by the spring 50, thereby forcing the brake-shoe into contact with the flange of the pulley 30, thereby stopping the feed of the fabric.

In the machine shown means are provided for automatically throwing out the clutch 47, and for automatically applying the brake 49, which means will be hereinafter described.

The means for releasing the brake and starting the machine to feed forward the fabric after the machine has been stopped and the brake applied will be next described. A foot-treadle 56 extends across the front of the machine where it may be conveniently operated. This treadle is secured by means of arms 57, one on each side of the machine, to a rock-shaft 58 which extends across the machine and is arranged to turn in bearings in the frame. Connected to this rock-shaft are two weights 59, one on each side of the machine, which act to normally hold the treadle 56, in its upper position. Secured to the rock'shaft 58 is an arm 60, to which is sult will be to lift the brakeshoe 49 out of contact with the flange of the pulley 30 and thus release the brake. V

Connected to the arm of the bell-crank lever 62 to which the rod 61 is connected is another connecting rod 64, the opposite end of which is connected to one arm of a bellcrank lever 65, which is pivoted on a bracket 66 projecting from the frame of the machine. The other arm of the bell-crank lever 65 is connected by a link 67 with the lower end of the clutch-lever 48. hen, therefore, the treadle is depressed and the bell-crank lever 62 is rocked, the further result will be that the bell-crank lever 65 will be correspondingly rocked, and this in turn will serve to pull inward the lower end of the clutch-lever 48 and thus throw in the clutch 47 and connect the pulley 22 to the drivingshaft 19. Pivoted to the clutch-lever 48 is a latch-bar 68, provided with a shoulder 69, adapted to engage a bracket 70, through a slot in which bracket the end of the latchbar 68 extends. When the clutch 47 is thrown in to connect the pulley 22 with the shaft 19, the upper end of the clutch-lever 48 is moved away from the bracket 70, and so as to draw the latch-bar 68 outward and into a position where the shoulder 69 on said latch-bar will engage said bracket, and thereby latch and hold the clutch in its engaged position. The weight of the latchbar 68 will ordinarily be sufficient to cause said bar to fall down and engage the latch. If desired, however, a spring may be employed for this purpose.

It is desirable in machines of this character to providemeans to reverse the machine and the feeding of the fabric, in order that if the knife should fly out of the race, or any other'accident happen, the fabric may be run back a short distance for the purpose of reinserting the knife in the race. This reversal of the machine is effected by means of the cross-belt 26 running on one of the steps of the conepulley 27 on the drag-roll 13. This cross-belt 26 is operated by the pulley 25 which is loose on the main driving shaft 19, but which is provided with a clutch 71 adapted to be operated by a lever 72 for clutching said pulley to said driving shaft. The means for operating this clutch 71 are as follows: pivoted to the frame of the machine at the'forward end thereof is a handlever 73, the handle of which is in convenient position to be grasped by the operator. The lower end of this lever is connected by a link 74 to an arm 75 projecting from a rock-shaft 76 which extends across the machine and is mounted in bearings in the frame. The lower end of the arm 75 is connected by a link 77 to one arm of a bell- 'crank lever 78 which is pivoted on a bracket 79 secured to the frame of the machine. The other end of this bell-crank lever 78 is connected to the lower end of the clutch-lever 72, which clutch-lever is pivoted at its other end to the frame. With this construction, as will be seen, when the upper end of the hand-lever 73 is pushed rearward, the result will be, through the operation of the connecting parts, that the clutch will be thrown in and the pulley 25 thus connected to the driving shaft 19, and so as to drive the drag-roll 13 in the reverse direction.

As when the machine is stopped the brake is on, it is necessary wheneverit is desired to start the machine in the reverse direction that the brake should first be thrown off. It is for this purpose that the rock-shaft 7 6 is extended across the machine, and this rockshaft is provided at its opposite end with an arm 80 which underlies a friction roller 81 on the vertical bar 51, which is connected with the brake-shoe 49 which engages the flange of the pulley 30 on the drag-roll. Consequently whenever the rock-shaft 76 referred to is rocked by pushing rearward the hand-lever 73, the rocking of said shaft will serve to lift the brake-shoe 49 out of contact with the pulley-flange and thus release the brake. It is prefererd to provide a certain amount of lost motion in the connection between the lower end of the arm 75 and the link 77 in order to insure that the brake shall be released before the reversing clutch is thrown in.

The purpose of the two idler rolls l2 and 15 is to hold the fabric up in contact with the drag-roll 13 and the feed-roll 14 respectively. It is desirable to maintain the axis of each of said rolls 12 and 15 parallel with the axis of its companion roll, and it is also desirable that the grip on the fabric between the feed-roll 14 and its binding-roll 15, and the grip of the fabric between the drag-roll 13 and its binding roll 12, shall be substantially uniform. In order to secure these results the machine is provided with an equalizing device designed to maintain the two binding-rolls 12 and 15 in proper relation with the rolls 13 and 14 respectively.

Each of the rolls 12 and 15 is mounted in movable bearings, these bearings being formedin levers 82, 83, pivoted one at each side of the machine. Referring to Fig. 4, which shows the two levers at one side of the machine, one for each of said rolls, it will be seen that the lever 82 is pivoted to the frame of the machine at 84, and that the lever 83 is similarly pivoted at 85. The roll 12 is mounted in one arm of the lever 82 and its companion lever on the opposite side of the machine, while the roll 15 is mounted in one arm of the lever 83 and its companion lever at the opposite side of the machine. The opposite arms of the levers 82, 88, cross each other as shown. The free ends of said levers are connected by coiled springs 86, 87, with an equalizing bar 88. Connected to the center of this equalizing bar is a cord 89 which extends around the pulleys 90, located one on each side of the machine, and is connected to the center of a corresponding equalizing bar 88 on the opposite side of the machine. 7

It will be understood that the arrangement of levers, springs and equalizing bar isthe same on both sides of the machine. By this construction the upward pressure of the two binding-rolls 12 and 15 produced by the four coiled springs referred to is equalized, and is such that the axis of each binding-roll will be maintained parallel with the axis of its companion roll, and so that each binding roll will also be caused to grip the fabric uniformly throughout the length of said rolls, provided of course the surface of the rolls are uniform and true.

Referring next to the means for automatically throwing out the clutch 17 and for automatically applying the brake 49, which means constitute an automatic stop-motion,

such automatic stop-motion, which in the ar; rangement shown 1s an electric stop-motion,

is designed to be operated by the bunch or seam in the fabric formed by uniting the throw out the clutch 47 and to apply the brake 49.

As above described, when the clutch-lever 18 is operated to throw in the clutch 17, said clutch and lever are latched in engaging position by the latch-bar 68, or by the engagement of the shoulder 69 on said bar with the bracket 70. To the upper end of the clutch-lever 48 is connected one end of a coil-spring 91, the other end of which spring is connected to a bracket 92 by means of an adjusting-screw 93. Then the clutchlever 48 is moved to engage the clutch 47,

the spring 91 is put under tension, and said spring is held under such tension by the engagement of the latch-bar 68 with the bracket 70. In order to throw out the.

' trode 98 for closing the electric circuit.

clutch 417, therefore, it is only necessary to disengage said latch-bar 68 when the clutchlever 48 will be moved by said spring 91 in the direction to throw out the clutch 17.

The means forautomatically disengaging the lever 68 from engagement with the bracket 7 0 are as follows: Extending across the machine above the fabric, where the fabric comes down the incline 8, is a rockshaft 94 which carries a flat leaf-spring 95, which spring likewise extends across the machine and normally lies in engagement with the fabric. Pivoted to the bracket 96 is a lever 97 which carries the movable elec- The fixed electrode 99 is secured to a bracket 100 in line with said movable electrode, said electrodes being insulated from the frame of the machine by insulating the brackets referred to. The lever 97 is provided with a recess having an overhanging lip 101. Secured to the end of the rock-bar 94 is a depending arm 102 provided with a projecting toe 103. The end of the arm 102 lies in therecess in the lever 97, with the toe 103 normally underlying the projecting lip 101, the arrangement of the parts being such that when the toe 103 is thus in engagement with the lip 101, said toe will hold the movable electrode 98 out of contact with the fixed electrode 99. When now the bunch or seam in the fabric reaches the spring 95 said bunch will, in passing under said spring, serve to turn the rock-bar 9 1, the result of which will be to move the toe 103 on the arm 102 out of engagement with the lip 101 on the lever 97, thereby permitting said lever to fall and thus bring the movable electrode 98 into contact with the fixed electrode 99, thereby closing the electric circuit.

Pivoted 011 the frame at 1041 are two levers 105 lying side by side. As the construction and operation of these two levers and their connecting and cooperating parts is the same, it will be convenient to first describe the construction and operation of one of these levers, and then to explain the reason why two levers are employed. Mounted 011 the shaft of the driven roll 10 is an eccentric 106 which is connected with the upper end of the lever 105, whereby said lever is vibrated back and forth at each revolution of said shaft.

The bar 54, before referred to, extends lengthwise of the machine, said bar being pivotally connected at one end at the pivoted link 107, and being pivotally connected at its other end to one arm of a bell-crank lever'108. Said bar 54 is thus capable of a lengthwise swinging movement and is adapted to operate said bell-crank lever. Looselypivoted on the side of the movable bar 51 is a tappet 109 arranged to turn in a vertical plane about its pivot. Normally this tappet 109 is held in a horizontal position and with its forward end out of the path of the vibrating lever 105 by means of cuit referred to. lVhen now the electric circuit is closed by the falling of the lever 97 and the electro-magnet is thus energized, the

pivoted armature 114, as it is drawn toward the coils of the magnet, will pull downward the connecting rod 113 and will thus rock the shaft 111 so that the toe 110 thereon will be moved into line with a notch or recess 116 in the tappet 109, andso that said tappet may turn upon its pivot under the action of gravity, as shown'in Fig. 10 thereby raising the right hand end of said tappet into the path of the vibrating lever 105. When the right hand end of the tappet 109 is thus raised into the path of the vibrating lever 105, said lever in its movement will serve to move the tappet and the movable bar 54, to which the tappet is pivoted, to the left in Fig. 10. The other arm of the bell-crank lever 108 projects through an inclined slot or cam-slot 119 in the latch-bar 68, pivoted to the clutch-lever 48.

lVhen the clutch 47 is in position to engage the pulley 22 with the shaft 19, the arm of the bell-crank lever 108 lies at the bottom of the inclined slot 119. When now the tappet 109 and movable bar 54 are moved rearward by the vibrating lever 105, the bellcrank lever 108 will be turned so as to cause the arm of said lever to travel up the inclined slot 119, the wall of which slot constitutes in effect a cam-surface, the result of which will be to disengage the latch-bar 68 from the bracket 70, whereupon the spring 91 will serve to operate the clutch-lever 48 to throw out the clutch 47, thereby disconnecting the pulley 22 from the driving-shaft 19 and stopping the machine.

The purpose in employing two levers 105 and two tappets 109 is to insure greater promptness in stopping the machine. Thus with the eccentrics 106, which operate the levers 105, set opposite to each other, the lower ends of said levers will always be moving in opposite directions, and so that one of said levers will always be moving in a direction to engage its tappet.

The electric circuit is as follows: Leading from the fixed electrode 99 is a wire 120 which leads to and is connected with a pin or electrode 121 on the clutch-lever. Secured to the bracket on which the, clutchlever is pivoted is a spring-electrode 122, this spring electrode and the electrode 121 on the clutch-lever being in contact, and thus in electrical connection, when the clutch-lever is in the position it occupies when the clutch is thrown in to connect the pulley 22 with the driving-shaft 19. Leading from the spring-electrode 122 is a wire 123 which leads to the battery 124. The wire 125 leading from the battery is connected with one end of the coil of the electro-magnet 115, and the wire 126 from the other end of the magnet coil leads to the movable electrode 98. It is to be understood that all the electrodes are suitably insulated from the frame and other parts of the machine.

Another feature of the invention consists in means whereby the parts of the stop-1110- tion mechanism are automatically reset after the stop-motion mechanism has operated. Means for thus automatically resetting the parts of the stop-motion mechanism are as follows: As above explained, when the electric circuit is closed by the release and fall of the movable electrode 98, the clutch-lever 48 is automatically thrown over by the spring 91 secured thereto. This has the effeet to immediately break the electric circuit by moving the electrode 121 on the clutch-lever out of contact with the electrode 122, and this breaking of the circuit deenergizes the electro-magnet 115, and leaves the rock-shaft 111 which carries the toe 110 free to be returned to its normal position under the action of a weighted member 127 secured thereto. Secured to the frame is a bracket 128 having a projecting arm which lies in the path of the pivoted tappet 109, and the rear end of said tappet is mounted or beveled, so that as the bar 54 moves rearward the beveled end of the tappet, coming in contact with the arm of the bracket 128, will cause said tappet to be lifted, thus lifting the notch 116 in the tappet clear of the toe 110, and so that said toe under the infiuence of the weighted member 127 on the rock-arm will be turned to its normal position where it will engage the lower surface of the tappet and thus hold said tappet in its normal horizontal position. By this means the pivoted tappet is reset in position for the next operation of the automatic stop mechanism. A stop-pin 129 limits the movement of the tappet 109 in thus resetting the same.

Connected to the lever 97 which carries the movable electrode 98 is a downwardly extending bracket 130, the short arm of which overlies the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever 108', which is connected to the end of the bar 54. WVhen the movable bar is moved to the rear for the purpose of unlatching the clutch-lever 48 to stop the machine, this movement in turning the bell-crank lever 108- will, by the engagement of the horizontal arm of said bell-crank lever with the bracket 129 cause the lever 97 to be raised to its normal position, thereby separating the electrodes 98 and 99. Connected to the rock-shaft 94 is a spring 131 which bears tact of the main electrodes 98 and 99, and

then is almost immediately broken again by the separation of the secondary electrodes 121. and 122.

For the purpose of stopping the machine and applying the brake by hand there is a branch electric circuit 132 connected with. the main circuit and leading therefrom to a circuit-closer or switch 133 located at the front of the machine at a point where it will be convenient to the operator. This circuit closer may be in the form of a simple push button or other switch for conveniently closing the circuit at that point. lVith this ar rangement, when it is desired to stop the machine by hand, the operator has simply to close the switch 133 which will serve to energize the electro-magnet- 115, and cause the operation of the stop mechanism in precisely the same way as though the circuithad been automatically closed by the bunch or seam in the fabric.

As above stated, the cone-pulley 27 on the drag-roll 13 is not rigidly secured to said roll, but is instead loose on the shaft of said roll, and is connected with said roll by means of a friction device whereby a friction or drag is put on said drag-roll 13. The construction of this friction device and the connection between the pulley 27 and the shaft of the drag-roll 13 will next be described.

Referring to Figs. 11 to 14, in which the parts are shown upon an enlarged scale, 13 represents the shaft of the drag-roll 13, on which the cone-pulley 27 is loosely mounted. Keyed to the shaft 13 is a hub 134 provided with a flange 135. Secured to the hub 134 by a set screw 136 is a collar 137. In suitable slots formed at opposite points on said collar are secured two cams 138.

Mounted loosely on the hub 134 is a disk 139 Said brake-shoes 140 are arranged means of which screw the desired tension is set up in said spring 143.

In addition to the springs 143 additional flat springs 146 are employed, one for each brake-shoe. Each of said springs 146 is secured to lugs 147 formed on the brake-shoe, said spring being rigidly secured to one of said lugs and being connected to the other lug by means of an adjusting-screw 148. Each of said springs 146 is provided with a frictionroll 149 mounted in suitable ears formed on said spring and arranged to engage the corresponding cam 138.

The disk 139 and the brake-shoes 140 carried thereby are connected to the flange 135 of the hub 139 by means of a convolute spring 150, one end of said spring being secured to a stud 151 carried by the disk 139, and the other end of said spring being connected to the flange 135 by means of the screw 152. As the hub 134 is keyed to the shaft 13 the convolute spring 150 thus serves to connect the disk 139 and the brakeshoes 140 with said shaft 13 and with the drag-roll 13 secured thereto. In the disk 139 is formed a segmental slot 153 through which extends a pin orbolt 154 projecting from the flange 135.

The friction device above described, including the connections between the conepulley 27 and the drag-roll 13 serves not only to put a drag on said roll 13 and thus to produce the desired tension on the fabric between said drag-roll 13 and the feedroll 14, and thus at the cutting point, but also serves to automatically take up any slack that may occur and so as to automatically restore the desired tension at this point. Said friction device further serves to transmit motion to the drag-roll 13 to feed the fabric backward when the pulley 27 is rotated in the reverse direction by the cross-belt 26.

The larger step 155 of the cone-pulley 27 is of larger diameter than the pulley 29 on the feed-roll 14. If desired, the pulley 29 may be fast on the shaft of the feed-roll 14. It is preferred, however, to mount said pulley loosely on said shaft and to connect it therewith by means of a pawl 156 and a ratchet-wheel 157 said pawl being mounted on and carried by the pulley 29, and said ratchet-wheel being secured to the shaft of the feed-roll 14, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the parts above described is as follows: It will be understood that the fabric to be cut, in passing around the drag-roll 13 and the feed-roll 14, constitutes in effect a belt connecting said rolls, and so that with the feed-roll 14 positively rotated, as it is, from the main drivingshaft, the drag-roll 13 will be rotated from the feed-roll 14 by the fabric acting as a belt. As the cone-pulley 27 is connected with the drag-roll 13 by theconvolute spring 150 and the brake-shoes 139 of said pulley, the rotation of the drag-roll 13 by the fabric will impart rotation to the conepulley 27. As the step 142 of said conepull-ey 27 is larger in diameter than the pulley 29 with which it is connected by the belt 28, the tendency will be to rotate said pulley 29 at a greater speed than the conepulley 27 is rotated, but said pulley 29 is prevented from rotating at such greater speed by the engagement of the pawl 1.56 with the ratchet-wheel 157, the speed of rotation of said ratchet-wheel being limited to the speed of rotation of the feed-roll 14. The result is that as the pulley 29 cannot rotate as fast as the cone-pulley 27 is trying to rotate it, said cone-pulley 27 is retarded in its rotation, such retarding of the pulley 27 being permitted by the yielding of the convolute spring 150 and by the slipping of the brake-shoe 140 on the flange 142 of the pulley 27. The frictional slipping of of the brake-shoes140 on the flange 142 of through the intervening connections, a drag on the roll 13 and causes it to lag behind the feed-roll 14, which thus puts the desired tension on the fabric between said roll. It will be understood that in the operation above described the friction between the brake-shoes 140 and the flange 142 is produced by the tension of the flat-springs 143, ordinarily supplemented to a greater or less extent by the spring 146.

It will be further seen that the rotation of the pulley 27 from the roll 13 through the dragging action of the brake-shoes serves, notwithstanding that there is a certain amount of slip between the brake-shoes and the pulley 27, to set up a certain amount of tension in the convolute spring 150, and so that said convolute spring constitutes a give-and-take device between the roll 13 and the pulley 27 When the machine is quickly stopped by throwing out the main clutch 47 and applying the brake 49, the feed-roll 14 is liable to overrun more or less and then rebound, such rebounding of the roll serving to produce slack in the fabric between the roll 13 and the roll 14. If this happens the reaction of the convolute spring 150 will through the engagement of the brake-shoes with the flange 142, serve to rotate the pulley 27 a certain distance in the forward direction, which rotation of said pulley 27 will in turn, through the belt 28, serve to rotate the pulley 29 and the feed-roll 14 so as to take up such slack. If on the other hand there is no rebound of the front roll, then the convolute spring will, by its tendency to turn the feed-roll forward, serve to maintain the tension on the fabric while the machine is stopped.

If now it be desired to reverse the feed of the fabric, as for example if the knife accidentally runs out of the race and so that it becomes necessary to re'e'nter the same, the main clutch 47 is thrown out and the reversing clutch 71 is thrown in, which will have the eflect to rotate the cone-pulley 27 in the reverse direction by means of the cross-belt 26. When this happens the rotation of said pulley 27 in such reverse direction is transmitted through the brakeshoes in engagement with the flange 142 and through the connecting convolute spring 150 to the roll 13. It will be understood that the frictional engagement of the brake-shoes with the flange 142 for the purpose of thus transmitting the rotation of the pulley 27 to the roll 13 is set up and maintained by the tension of the springs 143. It will be further seen that when the roll 13 and its shaft 13 are thus rotated in the reverse direction, the hub 134 and the collar 137 secured thereto will be turned in a direction to force the cams 138 against the friction-rolls 149 so as to set up tension in the supplemental springs 146, which will have the effect to correspondingly increase the friction between the brake-shoes 140 and the flange 142 and so as to thereby further insure that the power transmitted from the pulley 27 when thus rotated in the reverse direction to the roll 13 will be sufficient not only to rotate said roll in the reverse direction, but also to draw the fabric with it so as to give the desired backward feed to said fabric. It will be noted that during this backward feed of the fabric the roll 14 will ofier no substantial resistance thereto, because at this time said roll 14 will be free to turn loosely in the reverse direction by reason of the fact that the speed of the pulley 29, being greater than that of the pulley 27, will carry or rotate the pawl 156 ahead of the ratchet-wheel 157 and so that the rotation of the roll 14 in the reverse direction will not be prevented or in any way interfered with by said pawls 156.

By reason of the electrification of the fabric in passing rapidly through the machine and over the rubber covered rolls therein, the fabric will have the tendency to cling to one or the other of the supplemental feedrolls 16, 17, which are located below the main feed roll 14, and it is desirable to provide means to prevent this, and to insure the fabrics being conducted downward to the traveling apron.

In order to prevent the fabric from clinging to the idler roll 17, a shaft 158 is arranged in proximity to said idler roll and parallel therewith, which shaft is provided with any desired number of loose pulleys 159 from each of which pulleys a belt 160 extends around the idler roll 17. As will be seen, these belts constitute blocks in the path of the fabric, and serve to prevent the fabric from winding upon said idler roll and cause it to travel in its proper path downward on to the traveling apron.

If desired, a similar shaft and belt arrangement may be employed in connection with the positively driven supplemental feed-roll 16, but it has been found suflicient in order to prevent the fabric from winding up upon this roll to simply drive said roll at a somewhat greater speed than the fabric itself is traveling. This will serve to prevent the fabric from clinging to or being wound upon such driven roll 16. The driven roll 16 is preferably a rubber covered roll and the idler roll 17 is preferably a wooden roll. In order to secure a yielding grip upon the fabric by these supplemental feedrolls, the idler roll 17 is preferably yieldingly mounted. The driven roll 16 is mounted in bearings formed in brackets 161 which extend rearward from the front standard of the machine. Extending downward from each of these brackets is an arm 162 in which a bell-crank lever 163 is pivoted, there being one of these bell-crank levers at each side of the machine. The idler roll 17 is mounted in bearings formed in the upwardly extending short arms of these two bell-crank levers, and to the end of each of the long arms of said bell-crank levers a spiral spring 164 is connected, the other end of said spring being connected to the frame or other rigid support. By this construction the idler roll 17 is held in yielding contact with the fabric as it passes between the two rolls, and this allows the bunch or seam to pass between said rolls.

In Fig. 26 is shown a modified construction for preventing the fabric from clinging to either of the rolls 16, 17. Each of the brackets 161 in which the roll 16 is mounted is provided with a forward extension 161 and to these extensions is secured a board 161 extending across the machine. The forward edge of this board which is preferably beveled as shown is arranged in proximity to the roll 16 and will serve to prevent the fabric from being carried around by said roll. is provided with a similar extension 163 and to these extensions is secured a board 163 extending across the machine. The

rear edge of this board, which is likewise preferably beveled, is arranged in proximity to the roll 17 and will serve to prevent thefabric from being carried .around by said roll.

As hereinbefore stated, after the fabric has traveled upward at the rear of the machine and over the roll 5, it travels clownward on an inclined supporting surface 6, and then turns and travels in a vertical direction to and over the cross-bars 7, 7. It is desirable to guide the fabric during this vertical portion of its travel, and for this purpose the machine is provided with a pair Each of the bell-crank levers 163 of Wooden guide-pieces165, which are constructed to be adjust-able toward and from each other to accommodate different widths of fabric. Each of these guide-pieces 165 is secured to a bracket 166, and the two brackets 166 are-slidably mounted on two cross-bars 167 which extend across the machine and are supported in the vertical standards 168 forming apart of the frame. The knife 169 is mounted in a guide 170, which guide is suspended from the holder 171 by means of a link 172, as usual. Said knife holder 171 is preferably provided with a suitable handle 171 as shown. Adjustably mounted in the forward end of the knifeholder 171 are two guides or supports '17 3 and 17 1, located one on each side of the knife-holder, the guide or support 178 being also arranged in line with the knife. These guides or supports 173, 174:, and which during the operation of the machine rest upon the upper surface of the fabric, serve as guides in entering the knife in the race, and also serve as supports for the forward end of the knife-holder. Said guides in pressing upon the fabric also serve to properly present the fabric to the knife and fafcilitate the cutting of the race. b Although the knife is under the control of the operator, means are provided for supporting the knife and for properly locating the knifewith relation to the fabric. Extending across the machine at the front end thereof is a bar 175 preferably square in {cross-section, which said bar is rigidly sup- ;ported in brackets 176 secured one to each side of the frame. Slidably mounted on said bar 175 is a sleeve 17 7, the aperture in which is preferably square in cross-section to fit said bar, and rotatably mounted on {said sleeve 177 is an outer sleeve 17 8. One end of the inner sleeve 17 7 is provided with a flange 179 against which one end of the sleeve 17 8 abuts. The opposite end of said outer sleeve 178 is provided with a slot 180, and in the corresponding end of the inner sleeve 177 is secured a pin 181, the end of which projects outward into said slot 180, which pin is secured in place after the outer sleeve 178 has been slipped over the sleeve .177. The outer sleeve 17 8 is thus held against endwise movement with relation to the sleeve 17 7 by means of the flange 17 9 at one end and the pin 181 at the other end. Said sleeve 178, however, as above stated, is capable of a rotary movement with relation to the sleeve 177, the extent of suclrrotary movement being limited by the engagement of the pin 181with the end walls of the slot=or recess 180. The outer sleeve 178 is provided with two upwardly projecting pins 182 rigidly secured to said sleeve. The knife-holder 171 is provided with a cross-pin 183 adapted to engage the pins 182, as shown, in Figs. 15 and 16.

With the construction of knife-holder and the means for supporting and guiding the same above described, the operation of inserting the knife in the race and of manipulating the parts is as follows: When the knife is to be inserted in a race the outer sleeve 17 8 is turned on the sleeve 177 so as to bring the pins 182 into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 15. With said sleeve 17 8 in this position the knife-holder 171 may be moved backward and forward by the operator for the purpose of inserting the knife in the race at the proper point, and with the back of the knife-holder resting on said sleeve which thus furnishes a guide or rest for the knife-holder in thus manipulating the same, with said knife held in the proper horizontal position. WVhen the knife has been properly inserted in the race, the knife-holder is pushed forward by the operator far enough to enable the ends of the pins 182 to clear the cross-pin 183 and then the sleeve 17 8 is turned to bring the pins 182 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 15. The machine may now be started and when started it will be seen that the thrust of the fabric against the knife is resistedby'the engagement of the cross-pin 183 with the pins 182 and by the engagement of the pin 181 with the end of the slot 180, the sleeve 17 7 being prevented from turning by the square bar 175. As will be seen, the pins 182 also serve to support and hold the knife-holder in proper vertical position, while the engagement of the cross-pin 183 with the pins 182 also serves to locate the knife with relation to the fabric. By sliding the sleeve 177 along the bar 175 the lmife-holder may be properly supported in position for cutting successive races.

The operation of the several parts of the machine has been sufliciently described in connection with the description of the conv struction of the several parts, and the operation of the machine as a whole will be readily understood without further description thereof.

It will be understood that the construction of the several parts of the machine may be varied without departing from the main features of the invention.

It will be seen that the fabric travels directly from the roll 13 to the roll 14, and Without any intermediate tension device, and that the desired tension on the fabric at the cutting point is obtained by the co6peration of said rolls 13 and 14, both of which are'preferably rubber-covered, and that in providing such tension the roll 14 operates to draw the fabric forward and without any substantial slipping between said roll and the fabric, while the roll 13 has a drag put upon it by the friction-device employed in connection therewith, and thereby tends to hold back the fabric and put a drag or tension thereon. In other Words, the speed of the, fabric is substantially the same as the speed of the roll 14 and the fabric acts as a belt connecting the driving roll 14 with the driven roll 13. If any slippage takes place, such slippage will be between the roll 13 and the fabric, and will be due to the action of the friction device in tending to hold back said roll.

It will also be seen that by providing the additional driven rolls 5 and 10, which are also preferably rubbercovered, and with said driven roll 10 arranged in proximity to the drag-roll 13, the liability of any sudden or accidental drag being put upon the roll 13 by any obstruction to the feeding of the fabric through the machine, with the resulting rebound of the roll when the obstruction is removed and the fabric released,'is prevented. Thus an even and uniform tension on the fabric will be automatically maintained at all times by the action of the friction device and the connect-ing convolute spring.

As will be further seen, the amount of drag on the roll 13, and consequently the amount of tension 011 the fabric, is determined by the amount of friction between the brake-shoes 140 and the rim 142 of the pulley 27, and the amount of such friction is primarily determined by the tension of the springs 143 and is automatically controlled and maintained by the cooperation of the cams 138 and the springs 146 acting in conjunction with the convolute spring 150. By adjusting the tension of the springs 143, the tension on the fabric may be varied and adjusted for fabrics of different weights or different widths.

It will be further seen that the friction device employed in connection with the roll 13 constitutes both a friction-brake and a friction-clutch. Thus in maintaining the desired tension on the fabric during the forward feed thereof, said device operates as a friction-brake, while in operating to take up slack in the fabric, as upon the stopping of the machine, and in operating the roll 13 in the reverse direction to feed the fabric backward, said device operates as a frictionclutch.

. It will also be seen that in taking up slack in the fabric the convolute spring 150 acts as a spring-motor to operate the feed-roll 14 to take up such slack.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pile cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed roll and a drag roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric and arranged with relation to said feed roll so that the fabric travels directly from said drag roll to said feed roll in an inclined direction and without any intermediate tension device.

2, In a pile cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed roll, a drag roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric and arranged with relation to said feed roll so that the fabric travels directly from said drag roll to said feed roll in an inclined direction and without any intermediate tension device, and means for retarding said drag roll to put tension on the fabric between said rolls.

3. In a pile cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed roll, a drag roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric and arranged with relation to said feed roll, so that the fabric travels directly from said drag roll to said feed roll in an inclined direction and without an intermediate tension device, and means for frictionally retarding said drag roll.

4. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a dragroll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and rotary means for frictionally retarding said drag-roll to put a tension on the fabric between said rolls.

5. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a dragroll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and rotary means for applying tension to the fabric between said rolls without any sub stantial slipping of the feed-roll with relation to said fabric.

6. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a dragroll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and rotary means for causing tension to be applied to the fabric by said drag-roll without any substantial slipping of the feed-roll with relation to said fabric.

7. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a dragroll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and rotary means for causing tension to be applied to the fabric by said drag-roll while permitting the fabric to travel wit-h said feed-roll and at substantially the same speed.

8. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a dragroll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and rotary means for regulating the speed of said drag-roll with relation to the speed of said feed-roll to put tension on the fabric without any substantial slipping of the feedroll with relation to said fabric.

9. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a dragroll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and rotary means for automatically regulating the speed of said drag-roll with relation to the speed of said feed-roll to put tension on the fabric Without any substantial slipping of the feed-roll with relation to said fabric.

10. In a pile-cutting machine, the combi nation of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and a rotary friction-device for varying the speed of said drag-roll with relation to the speed of said feed-roll to put tension on the fabric without any substantial slipping of said feed-roll with relation to the fabric.

11. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, rotary devices for frictionally retarding the speed of said drag-roll with relation to the speed of said feed-roll, and means for regulating the relative speed of said rolls to put tension on the fabric without any substantial slipping of the feed-roll with relation to the fabric.

12. In a pile-cutting machine, the combi nation of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and rotary means for regulating the relative speed of said rolls to put tension on the fabric without any substantial slipping of the feed-roll with relation to the fabric.

. 13. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, rotary means for frictionally retarding the speed of said drag-roll with relation to the speed of said feed-roll to put tension on the fabric, and means for regulating the relative speed of said rolls.

14. In a pile-cutting machine, the combi nation of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, rotary devices for frictionally retarding the speed of said drag-roll, and means for regulating the friction produced by said retarding devices and thereby regulating the relarotary devices for frictionally retarding the speed of said drag-roll to put tension on the fabric, and means for regulating the friction produced by said retarding devices ac cording to the weight or width of the fabric. 17. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a dragroll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a friction-device for retarding the speed of said drag-roll, and a spring connecting said friction device and said drag-roll, through which the drag produced by said frictiondevice is transmitted to said drag-roll.

18. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a friction-device for retarding the speed of said drag-roll, and a spring, one end of which is Connected to said friction-device and the other endof which is connected to said drag-roll and through which spring the drag produced by said friction-device is transmitted to said drag-roll.

19. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a friction-device for retarding the speed of said drag-roll, and a convolute spring, one end of which is connected to said frictiondevice and the other end of which is connected to said drag-roll, whereby said friction-device will be rotated by said drag-roll through said connecting spring.

20. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a

Y drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric,

a pulley loose on said drag roll, a rotary friction-device between said drag roll and said pulley, and means for positively retarding said pulley.

21. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a pulley loose on said drag roll, a frictiondevice between said drag roll and said pulley, a pulley of smaller diameter connected to said feed-roll by a pawl and ratchet, and a belt connecting said pulleys.

22. In a pile-cutting machine, the, combination of a positively driven feed-roll a drag roll, adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a pulley loose on said drag roll, a

rotary friction-device engaging said pulley and connected to said drag-roll by a spring, and means for positively retarding said pulle 23. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a friction-device for retarding said roll, and a spring adapted to act on said friction-device, the tension of said spring being controlled by said roll.

24. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a friction-device for retarding said roll, a spring adapted to act on said friction-device, and a supplemental spring arranged to act on said friction-device, the tension of said supplemental spring being controlled by said roll.

25. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a friction-device for retarding said roll, a spring adapted to act on said friction-device, and a cam carried by said roll for regulating the tension of said spring.

26. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll adapted to be r01 tated by the fabric, a friction-device for retarding saidroll, a spring acting on said friction-device, and a spring connecting said friction-device with said roll.

27. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll adapted to be r0- tated by the fabric, a pulley loose on said roll, a friction-device engaging said pulley, a spring connecting said friction-device with said roll, and means for retarding said pulley.

28. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a pulley loose on said roll, a friction-device engaging said pulley, a spring acting on said friction-device, a spring connecting said friction-device with said roll, and means for retarding sald pulley.

29. In-a pile-cutting machine, the combi nation of a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, a pulley loose on said roll, a brake-shoe connected with said roll and engaging said pulley, and means for positively retarding said pulley.

30. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll, a pulley loose on said roll, a brake-shoe engaging said pulley, a spring connecting said brake-shoe with said roll, and means for retarding said pulley.

31. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll, a pulley loose on said roll, a brake-shoe connected with said roll and engaging said pulley, a sprin acting on said brake-shoe, a spring connecting said brake-shoe with said roll, and means for retarding said pulley.

32. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll, a pulley loose on said roll, a brake-shoe engaging said pulley, a spring adapted to act on said brake-shoe, and a cam carried by said roll for regulating the tension of said spring.

33. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll, a pulley loose on said roll, a brake-shoe engaging said pulley, a spring adapted to act on said brake-shoe, a supplemental spring adapted to act on said brake-shoe, and a cam carried by said roll for regulating the tension of said supplemental spring.

34. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a drag-roll, a pulley loose on said roll, a brake-shoe engaging said pulley, a convolute spring connecting said brake-shoe with said roll, a spring adapted to act on said brake-shoe, and a cam carried by said roll for regulating the 'tension 0 said spring.

35. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and means for taking up slack in the fabric between said rolls when the machine stops.

36. In a pile-cutting machine, the combination of a positively driven feed-roll, a drag-roll adapted to be rotated by the fabric, and means controlled'by said drag- 

